Moving from London to Manchester

[Cmurrell]

Hi all,

Me, my partner and our two young children are moving from London to Manchester early 2018. We are looking to move to South Manchester and would like to know the areas you would recommend. Areas we have researched are Stretford, Urmston, Eccles, Swinton and Salford. We don't really want a village vibe and would like to be close to the centre but not bang in the centre. We would also like an area with diversity. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

I live in Didsbury, it is a popular choice with people moving to Manchester from down South. Nearby Chorlton is also nice. Timperley is quite villagey too.

I wouldn't be that keen on any of the places in your list sorry.

Sorry just realised you said you don't want villagey! Levenshulme and Whalley Range are very diverse (as are Didsbury and Chorlton) but probably more urban. TBH you really need to come and look at what you can afford for your budget.

Yes Sidbury has been coming up alot as a possible place. We have a budget of 240,000 so I don't think we will what we want in didsbury for our money. Whalley range I will check out. Can I ask why you wouldn't be keen on the name we've mentioned? (feel free to pm me if you'd prefer). We are coming to have a look in January but would like to know some places to go to beforehand.

Thanks x

The areas on your list are cheaper for a reason, they're just generally a bit grim. Sorry don't know how to say it more tactfully.

Salford Quays is nice in its way but is not great for families, as it is mostly apartments aimed at young professionals. Apart from that, I tried to find the 'nice bit' of Salford when we were house hunting but concluded in the end that there wasn't one.

I don't think there is anything to particularly recommend Swinton, just a bog standard Northern town that has merged into the Greater Manchester conurbation, neither urban or villagey.

Urmston is a bit far out but there are some decent houses for your money. There are some nicer bits of Stretford, more on the side near Chorlton. None of those would be high on my list though. I'd prefer the areas mentioned (although they also have pretty grim parts but also nice parts). I would think about Northenden too. Not on the Metrolink though, which is a bonus for many other areas when commuting.

Consider Sale or Altrincham, I know a few families who ended up choosing one of these, when they'd outgrown smaller places in Didsbury. They have a recommendation for good schools and again you get more for your money, so a better chance of getting a decent sized house and garden.

Out of those areas, Urmston is the best. It's not grim as previously described, it's a nice suburban area with a very good grammar school (state) and good primaries. A pretty average family area - your budget should just about get you a 3 bed semi / terraced. Train is very good into Manchester, Trafford Centre on your doorstep, centre has been redeveloped recently and more bars / restaurants popping up.

Stretford was the area people bought in if you couldn't afford Urmston - it's cheaper, some pretty tatty areas and hasn't really got a centre (apart from Stretford Mall which is a bit grim - a 60s indoor precinct). It's a bit more 'edgy' than Urmston as it borders Chorlton etc, again has a grammar but there are definitely some not-so-nice areas along with some that are nicer.

Eccles and Swinton are OK, not great to be honest. Have a look at Monton - that's the better area of Eccles/ Swinton. Schoolwise they come under Salford so I don't know much about the schools (compared to Urmston & Stratford which come under Trafford - very well thought of).

Salford is a city in its own right - definitely the most urban but probably the least desirable area. Some of it is very studenty, some of it very 'Coronation Street'. There's been some regeneration but it's still not particularly sought after by families.

I agree that you definitely need to visit the area, have a drive around, see if you can get chatting to local people. I would rent until you have a clearer idea of where you want to be rather than committing to buying straightaway.

Thank you all for your comments.

Does anyone know what Flixton is like?

Flixton is kind of an offshoot of Urmston - Urmston really compromises Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme. Where do you need to be (for work) and what do you need in terms of amenities? Think it's actually classed as a village but just suburbia. Transport links not as good as from Urmston and the main/closest centre would still be Urmston (5 min drive away).

Ok thanks. I'm a paramedic so I can work out of a number of ambulance stations so traveling isn't to much of an issue as there are quite a few stations around the areas we have looked at that I can relocate to. My partner will be working 2 days in London and the other days working from home so again commuting isn't too much of an issue as long as we live in an area that has transport links to the station. We had a look online last night at the areas you suggested. Chorlton and didsbury are definitely out of our price range. Urmston and Stretford are within our price range. We definitely need to come down and have a look. We really want to reside in the Trafford area due to the schools. From what people say chorlton might be the town for us, if we come down and don't like Urmston or Stretford we may have to increase our budget which is doable.

Thanks x

Chorlton isn't in Trafford (just in case you thought it was), neither is Didsbury. Trafford Schools are massively oversubscribed, but Didsbury has the same problem. You really just need to do your homework. Good luck!

Yes sorry I worded it wrong. I'm aware chorlton and didsbury aren't under Trafford. Yes will continue looking and like I said we are coming to look at some areas and do viewings in January. Thanks for all your help x

As others have mentioned, Urmston and Flixton are definately the best of the bunch you have picked. How old are your dc's? Trafford is full of good schools. If you want to avoid a villagey feel you might consider Altrincham and Sale? You should get something within your budget in sale for definate

They are 9 and 5. OK perfect we didn't look at sale. Are these areas diverse? i.e sale, Urmston, Flixton, Altrincham.

I've lived in urmston and Stretford (and a few other areas). Been in Stretford for about 10 years now and love it. Amazing community stuff going on (the park has loads on and Stretford Public Hall is great with a choir, and art stuff). Its really friendly and easy to meet people. The house prices are currently lower but are on the up so I would be quick. Its far more diverse than Urmston. Stretfords night life is a bit rubbish though, but we are so close to Chorlton and the tram into town is only 15 mins this isnt a problem. There are few places ok to drink in and this is getting better.The primary schools are great and has far more choices for secondary than Urmston (which is either grammar or single sex or religious). Urmston is more surburban and harder to get to rest of manchester.

A friend of mine loved living in Urmston but moved as she didn't want single sex school for her DC. I'd definitely look at Whalley Range and Stretford as close to the city and very mixed demographic. Lots of great parks, nightlife, museums etc within short distance. Don't panic about schools as there are lots of decent schools about and new high schools opening up in South Manchester too.

Thank you. We have decided to go for Stretford. We've isolated some nice parts/roads in the area with the help of another mumsnet user. We really want diversity, nice community, no village feel and close to the centre and Stretford ticks those boxes. Thank you x

Great, I hope you find a nice house. Have you been for look around yet?

Just out of interest - I'm not really sure what the difference between a 'nice community' and a 'village feel' is? They seem similar to me but you are clear that you want one but not the other.

I live in Urmston. I love it. Yes Didsbury is lovely but pricey (& slightly loves itself) as is Chorlton but no where is without its downsides. Urmston is definitely worth a look if you're coming up this way to look in Stretford. My kids go to school here. There are lots of new restaurants opening up, a market and people are friendly. Stretford is great too - a good community and more diverse. There are currently plans to 'regenerate' bits of stretford too - check out Trafford council's web and look up UA92. It's not altogether popular but check it out for yourself.

There’s usually a lot of cognitive dissonance in these threads as people recommend where they live. No one wants to admit the shortcomings of where they live etc. etc.

For example, in my opinion Northenden and Levenshulme that were mentioned above are at the lower end and aren’t considered some of the better parts of s mcr. Levy is possibly a bit in the up but make sure to check schools carefully.

Urmston is nice but a bit more far out and suburban as opposed to urban. The metrolink extension to The Trafford Centre will make it better connected - that’s being built at the moment. Didsbury is very, very suburban and very white, middle class. Altrincham is even more so and more, you’ll see this reflected in house prices. Sale similar but less so. Chorlton is probably what you’re looking for but don’t think your budget will buy you much there. Stretford is on the up and more affordable and close to Chorlton but also look at some parts of Old Trafford as they’re adjacent to Chorlton. Going to read the rest of the thread now.

Thank you for your message. We are a black family so diversity is quite important to us. Obviously I understand that Manchester may not have the same ethnic diversity as London but it's important to us that our children are exposed to people from all backgrounds and feel comfortable in their surroundings. Most people have said that Stretford or Chorlton would be the best place for us and more likely to meet our needs. As Chorlton may be out if our price range, Stretford will most probably be where we end up going. It has been mentioned Stretford can be slightly chavvy. However, we aren't snobby and as long as we live in a nice area in Stretford we really dont mind. Someone has helped us locate these nicer areas so will be coming down in January to look around and do viewings.

Thanks you to everyone's comments.

There are lovely parts to Stretford, absolutely. Good luck!

Manchester (including Didsbury) is massively multi-cultural! Please don't fall into the trap of thinking that London is automatically superior in terms of multi-cultural integration (or necessarily any other way).

I know that Stockport is less mixed than other parts of Greater Manchester, not sure if Trafford is similar as I've never lived there. Didsbury is certainly middle class (although it also has well integrated social housing) but it is absolutely not a white ghetto. Our primary school has a high percentage of first generation immigrants (from Europe, Asia and Africa), as well as many other families who have originated from all over the world.

Yep the three big 3 form community primaries are massively multicultural in Didsbury, west east and central. ( less so the faith schools). I'd also look at Whalley Range... just next to Chorlton in the other direction and very multicultural as well as very close to town. I know many people who love living there

Old Trafford, Stretford or Whalley Range would all suit you I think, anywhere bordering chorlton in those directions basically, as opposed to towards Withington. Be aware of the UA92 uni plans when looking at Stretford. I think they’re a good idea but lots don’t. I always feel like Stretford is the least diverse of the areas I have mentioned, but it’s all relative I realise when I visit other places in the uk! Chorlton just feels like didsbury to me now, it’s not the be all and end all, but nice to have close by.

Old Trafford vote here btw!